2001 Chrysler town and country will not start

120

Asked by walterf1947 Sep 08, 2013 at 02:12 PM about the 2001 Chrysler Town & Country Limited LWB FWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

The van was idling so low it vibrated the van, but running well other than the idling issue so I shut it down to do the repairs, so I replaced the spark plugs, the spark plug wires,ignition coil pack, the idle control motor, the throttle position sensor, new gaskets on the air intake upper to lower plenium, I have checked all wire connections on the repairs I did several times, It will not start, it turns over great but just will not start. The codes that come up on the vans dash are: P1684, PO123, P0118, P1598, P1193, I looked them all up and it seems each one was reporting high voltage. Is this what is causing it not to start? What else should I check?

38 Answers

120

I unplugged it, should I take the negative side of the gattery cable off before hooking the ecm back up, then putting the neg cable back on.

2 people found this helpful.
199,745

Try unhooking battery for at least ten minutes then try to start it. If no start then recheck for new list of codes.

3 people found this helpful.
120

I unplugged it for 40 minutes and still getting the same codes, Now what

2 people found this helpful.
120

The codes are 1164, 0123, 0118, 1598, 1193, these are the only codes listed.

2 people found this helpful.
120

what I do not understand is it ran good other than the very low idle, I shut it off while it was running, now after installing the new parts is when all these codes appeared and it will not start.

1 people found this helpful.

ok walt here are your codes, first I have to ask two things does your van have factory security?,and does the message center / odometer say...... No Bus? codes are 1164 bus fault/no communication,01118is coolant temp sensor,0123 is throttle position sensor,1598 is a/c pressure sw voltage high, 1193 is IAT sensor.

1 people found this helpful.
199,745

What engine do you have? And is it a flex fuel model?

1 people found this helpful.
120

I turn the ignition three times, odometer does not show "no bus", just the codes. I had looked up the codes origionally and do know what each one is, that is why I do not understand what the heck is going on. Is there a code that shows if the coil is bad? I originall thought it could be the alalm system but was told by the dealership that if that was it , it it would not turn over but it turns over good.

120

I also thought that is a possibility,the one thing that stumped that theory was it was running very good other than the idling.

199,745

http://autorepair.about.com/library/firing_orders/bl-fo-2178.htm -- ok just a thought -- but are you sure plug wires are on in correct order?

body control module controls all lower ecm fuctions and will not let car start if non functional and grounds sensors via ecm. same system sebring has

120

I do think so as I changed one at a time. At one point after the replaement of the idle air control control it started and was doing the same low idle so I had reversed one of the wires that could have been in question, it ran but had a terrible mis so I reversed the wires back and it still just had the low idle. That is when I put in the new ignitiuon coil pac, I wonder if the new ignition coil pack went bad when I had tried reversing the plug wires. That seems to be the next step before bringing it to the mechanics, I can try to put the old pac bac on and see shat happens.

199,745

Ok that link I sent shows the correct order for the plug wires on the coil. Might want to double check them.

I did some research bcm runs guages,warning indicators,and syncs w ecm (ie) feed back. and is the bcm so if guages work normal then I would look at the ecm, if you have factory security the ecm IS VIN SPECIFIC and WILL NEED FLASHED.to comply w your vehicle. it is my experience multiple codes on chryslers and dodge that ran fine yesterday and is dead today. ecm is usually the suspect. dont throw parts at it I would just pay the diagnostic time and be done w it

3 people found this helpful.
Best Answer Mark helpful
120

I totally agree with you,Thanks for all the help, I've thrown too much time and money already, so to the shop she goes.

I highly recommend chrysler the reason is they have the DBR scanner to propperly diagnose the problem and the proper corrective proceedure

1 people found this helpful.
120

Yes, it turned out to be the main wire harness and the pcm, Chrysler runs the main wire harness on the top of the motor and under the air plenium where the heat makes the wire very brittle, when I was changing the spark plugs and the spark plug wires the main wires for the injectors must have been moved and they cracked causing a short which in turn shorted out the pcm, this is what I was told by the dealership. They repaired it and it cost me $1100.00 and the idle is still rough, so I was told by them that the motor mounts is what is causing the vibration I was feeling, not the idle as it is now and was where it was supossed to be so I cost myself a lot of money because I didn't want to put out the $99.00 they charge for a diagnosis. If anyone is not sure and I mean sure of the problem my advice to others is pay the cost of a diagnosis, it will save you money in the end.

4 people found this helpful.
50

For posterity... '02 Grand Caravan, 3.3L, non-EGR, w/ security. Van ran fine until work was done (replaced cracked heads). The harness (located near the coil) that goes to the injectors & the MAP came off its mounting point (shared w/ spark plug wire holder) and got too hot near the exhaust crossover. Most of the insulation was burned off of all 10 wires that run through the inline connector (C102 in the wiring diagram). However, didn't get a short until the harness had been moved and then replaced back in position upon completion of the head job. First time trying to fire it up the SENS_GND signal shorted to the 12V wire from the ASD relay and blew the PCM. I was measuring over ~3.55V on the SENS_GND wire when connected to both the PCM and all the various sensors it goes to (indicative of a floating ground being pulled up through the sensors), and when I snipped the SENS_GND signal near the PCM (pin 43 on Connector 2), thus isolating it from everything else but the PCM, I measured over 1V on the PCM side and about 6.6V on the sensor side. This SENS_GND is a ground and is supposed to be at 0V, not over 1V. Replaced the reprogrammed PCM (flashed with the VIN & mileage) and the van started right up. Had to re-learn all its trim tables, but this was the fix. So, for anyone's van with similar symptoms, I'd check the wiring harness near the coil that goes to the MAP (on top of the intake manifold) and fuel injectors. If melted, tape the wires with electrical tape first, then measure the voltage out of pin 43 on Connector 2 (bottom connector on PCM) and look for higher than ~200mV with the key on. The wire can be back-probed with a paper clip for the measurement as the PCM connectors need to be plugged in to get the right reading. Just slide the paper clip along the BLU/GRN wire into the back of the connector, then measure voltage between that clip and battery ground. Hope this helps someone else in the future as this seems to be a common problem, yet very confusing to diagnose and repair. Also, if you do end up needing a new PCM, you could pay a dealer over $1k. OR... It's only 3 bolts that hold it in (all 10mm), plus 3 other screws to remove the headlight to get access to the third mounting bolt on the PCM. 6 total. Be sure to remove the negative battery cable before replacing the PCM. Re-programmed units can be found on e-bay for under $200; You just send them your VIN & mileage and they send you a remanufactured PCM. I searched under the part # 04727423AF for mine and found several to choose from. Total cost if you can disconnect the battery and remove & re-install the 6 bolts/screws yourself should be under $200, depending on what you find available on e-bay. Best of luck to anyone else with this problem! :)

5 people found this helpful.

I'm having an issue as well, my brother replaced all of my motor mounts and the very next morning I started having start issues. They rapidly progressed and I now have a van that won't start- The security light stays on when I try to start it but all other lights and gauges work. When the van starts it only stays started for a minute and then dies, blowing the fuel pump fuse every time. Resetting it by locking/unlocking doors several times after unhooking battery for 30 minutes sometimes makes it start back up but it will die again within minutes. Dealership says I need to buy a PCM before they can fully diagnose the issues but that is 1100.00!

Blowing fuses results in a short to ground (power touching chassis before getting to the user (fuel pump in your case)). The above discussion about heat and wiring harnesses makes complete sense. Before anyone replaces a PCM, all other troubleshooting methods should have occurred. And PLEASE disconnect your negative battery cable BEFORE touching any of the wires.

Your Answer:

Town & Country

Looking for a Used Town & Country in your area?

CarGurus has 2,286 nationwide Town & Country listings starting at $800.

ZIP:

Own this car?

Share your experience with others.

2001 Chrysler Town & Country

Review another car

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    Lisa Klancher
    Reputation
    3,580
  • #2
    dandyoun
    Reputation
    3,280
  • #3
    thejeepdoctor
    Reputation
    3,160
View All

Know more, shop wisely

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Dodge Grand Caravan
303 Great Deals out of 5,531 listings starting at $995
Used Honda Odyssey
732 Great Deals out of 17,671 listings starting at $1,500
Used Toyota Sienna
552 Great Deals out of 8,904 listings starting at $875
Used Ford Explorer
2,245 Great Deals out of 63,531 listings starting at $1,000
Used Ford F-150
5,994 Great Deals out of 126,603 listings starting at $1,995
Used Chrysler Voyager
39 Great Deals out of 1,398 listings starting at $9,900
Used Chevrolet Silverado 1500
4,096 Great Deals out of 130,848 listings starting at $2,744
Used Jeep Grand Cherokee
2,516 Great Deals out of 47,901 listings starting at $800
Used Dodge Durango
736 Great Deals out of 20,048 listings starting at $1,880
Used Dodge Caravan
39 listings starting at $3,695
Used Chevrolet Tahoe
1,010 Great Deals out of 19,509 listings starting at $2,500

Used Cars for Sale

2016 Chrysler Town & Country For Sale
28 Great Deals out of 376 listings starting at $5,990
2015 Chrysler Town & Country For Sale
30 Great Deals out of 356 listings starting at $2,999
2014 Chrysler Town & Country For Sale
49 Great Deals out of 488 listings starting at $2,990
2013 Chrysler Town & Country For Sale
30 Great Deals out of 303 listings starting at $3,999
2012 Chrysler Town & Country For Sale
19 Great Deals out of 214 listings starting at $1,350

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.